Music Videos
Squid Announce Debut Album Bright Green Field, Share New Song “Narrator”: Stream
Squid have announced their debut album Bright Green Field, which is set to arrive in May. As a first look, the Brighton post-punk band is sharing a sprawling lead single called “Narrator”. Bright Green Field follows Squid’s pair of 2020 songs, “Sludge” and “Broadcaster”, as well as their 2019 EP Town Centre. This LP was produced by Dan Carey (black midi, Bat For Lashes, Hot Chip), and judging by the recording process, it sounds like they went big: a 30-person choir, a horn and string ensemble, and actual field recordings of bees. Although its title and artwork evoke a pastoral setting, drummer/vocalist Oliver Judge says that this album exists in a shadowy cityscape. “The tracks illustrate the places, events and architecture that exist within it,” he explains in a statement. ...
Adrian Smith (Iron Maiden) and Richie Kotzen Detail New Album, Share “Taking My Chances” Video: Watch
Iron Maiden guitarist Adrian Smith and veteran rocker Richie Kotzen have detailed their new collaborative debut album, Smith/Kotzen, which arrives March 26th. The duo have also shared a music video for the previously released lead single, “Taking My Chances”. The collab between the two friends was born from a mutual appreciation for the blues guitar style, as evidenced on “Taking My Chances”. Smith and Kotzen are both highly gifted players, and their world-class fretwork is truly impressive in tandem. In addition to an extensive solo discography, Kotzen has been a member of Poison, Mr. Big, and The Winery Dogs. Fans of virtuoso guitar performances should look no further than the song’s accompanying video. Smith and Kotzen’s skills are front and center, as the camera primarily focuses ...
FKA twigs Unveils New Song “Don’t Judge Me”: Stream
Things are afoot in the FKA twigs camp. In October, the R&B star revealed that her third album had been completed during quarantine. Now, she’s back with a new song called “Don’t Judge Me”. Today’s offering is her first since dropping the masterful album MAGDALENE in 2019. In addition to a stunning performance from FKA twigs, the track features UK rapper Headie One and producer Fred again…, who’s worked with the likes of Ed Sheeran and Brian Eno. “Don’t Judge Me” appears to be something of a companion release or sequel to “Don’t Judge Me (Interlude)”, an early 2020 collaboration that also featured all three artists. Unlike the intentional vagueness of that song, the themes on this version are a lot more direct. During her verse and the hook, twigs begs her lover to hold her and appreci...
’68 Announce New Album, Share “The Knife, The Knife, The Knife”: Stream
Former Norma Jean and The Chariot singer Josh Scogin has announced a new album from his current project ’68. It’s called Give One Take One and due out on March 26th via Cooking Vinyl. He’s has also shared the music video for the lead single, “The Knife, The Knife, The Knife”. Scogin himself created the video for the heavy single, which leans more toward garage rock as opposed to the metalcore and hardcore punk of his previous bands. Hints of blues fuse with a noisy post-hardcore edge, resulting in a massive wall of sound — impressive considering ’68 are only two individuals: Scogin and drummer Nikko Yamada. “Of all the music I’ve created over the years, this album holds some of my very favorite moments, lyrically, musically, and even mentally; I travel down several roads that are...
Dave East Unveils New Song “Mercedes Talk”: Stream
Dave East has elevated hustle to a religion. Since 2010 he’s dropped something like 16 mixtapes and albums, most recently 2020’s Karma 3. The veteran MC shows no signs of slowing down, opening 2021 with the new song “Mercedes Talk”. The track was produced by AraabMuzik. His beat eschews internal movement, building tension out of the contrast between a high chime and rumbling bass. East works over the top with a laid back flow, mixing the personal (“I still don’t feel like I’m famous/ Had to move up out the projects just to feel like I made it,”) with punchlines (“Headshot turn your thoughts into liquor.”) “Mercedes Talk” comes with a music video directed by WillC. It shows East on the street with his bros, outside a corner store, and behind the counter of a fast food joint. Oh, and th...
HDBeenDope Drops New Song “21 Bags”: Stream
HDBeenDope is building on the buzz from his 2020 album BrokeN Dreams with an arresting music video for his new song “21 Bags”. “21 Bags” quietly dropped on December 31st, at a time when the world was preoccupied with burning 2020 in effigy. The odd timing disguised a banging self-produced beat, over which HD unleashed half-a-dozen head-spinning flows. One of the things that makes him such an interesting MC is ability to switch between humility and braggadocio, hard truths and going hard. “21 Bags” is here to slap you upside the eardrums. He spits, “Parlayed all the hard days/ To the soirée with a ‘Yonce/ I need all lays for the bolognese/I got octane and they all blaze.” The new video was directed by Erikson Corneil. It shows HDBeenDope in what appears to be an enormous dance studio, ...
Eminem Premieres New Music Video for “Higher”: Watch
Eminem is in #SurvivalMode in his new music video for “Higher”. The clip for the Music to Be Murdered By single debuted Saturday afternoon ahead of the rematch between Justin Poirier and Conor McGregor at UFC 257. Watch it down below. As The Detroit Times points out, “Higher” has become something of an anthem in the sports world as of late, recently appearing in an ESPN advertisement for the College Football Playoffs national championship game. Of course, Eminem is no stranger to the ring; 2015 boxing drama Southpaw was inspired by Marshall Mathers and featured original music from the rapper. In related news, Eminem released a Side B (Deluxe Edition) of Music to Be Murdered By, featuring 16 additional songs, just last month. [embedded content] #SURVIVALMODE &#...
Jon Batiste Shares Joyous New Single “I Need You”: Stream
From his role as a bandleader extraordinaire on A Late Show with Stephen Colbert to his bountiful jazz arrangements for Pixar’s latest hit Soul, Jon Batiste has made a name for himself by being a ridiculously multi-talented musician. Today, Batiste is showing yet another side of his personality with his new single, “I Need You”. Taken from his upcoming album We Are, “I Need You” is an explosion of infectious joy set to the tune of swing-inspired pop. It’s impossible not to let it brighten your mood, and according to Batiste, that was his plan all along. “This song is a vibe cleanse,” he explained in a press release. “After 2020, this is like a warm hug. Let’s bring the vibes back!” (Good Vibes Only was certainly the theme this Inauguration Week.) In the track’s music video, directed by Ala...
Rico Nasty Joins chillpill and Soleima on Wacky, Wonderful Single “LiL BiTcH”: Stream
If debut album Nightmare Vacation taught us anything, it’s that Rico Nasty is at her best when operating out of the norm. Genres, rules, and expectations — the young rapper relishes in breaking them all, and all while making it look fun as hell. For her latest project, a single and video called “LiL BiTcH”, Rico ditches her recently acquired 18th century ball gown to become… a video game character that takes down evil ducks and bears. Classic Rico move, baby. The release is a collaboration spearheaded by pop producer chillpill and also features Danish singer Soleima, but per usual, Rico steals the show. The Maryland rapper herself is already like a cartoon character personified, and when coupled with wacky and wonderful hyperpop like this, it’s a guaranteed surreal slam dunk. (Also se...
Angel Haze Returns with New Song “Weight”: Stream
Angel Haze has returned to drop the new song “Weight”. Our former Rookie of the Year broke out in 2012 with a trauma-baring cover of Eminem’s “Cleaning Out My Closet”. Haze shared a string of buzzy mixtapes in the early 2010s, came out as nonbinary (though preferring singular he/she pronouns instead of ‘they’), and unleashed the albums Dirty Gold (2013) and Back to the Woods (2015). Afterwards, her pace of songwriting slowed down significantly, which makes “Weight” a welcome surprise. The track channels aggression backed by a lifetime of rage-inducing experiences. “Y’all couldn’t take what I been through,” she raps, adding, “Yeah, silly n****s you was thinking I was buried/ But I soared/ Now y’all gone wish that I died in the psych ward!” Elsewhere, she hints at her tim...
Indigo Sparke Unveils New Song “Everything Everything”: Stream
Rising Australian songwriter Indigo Sparke has unveiled the new song “Everything Everything”. Alongside an intimate music video, she’s also announced her signing with Sacred Bones Records to release her debut album Echo, out January 29th. As with all the songs on Echo, “Everything Everything” was produced by Andrew Sarlo and Adrianne Lenker of Big Thief. Over a gentle guitar with occasional piano accents, Sparke sings in an ethereal soprano, which she later undercuts with a section of spoken word. “Everything,” she says, “Everything, everything, everything is dying.” In a statement, Sparke explained how the song came together, writing, “I wrote this song not long after coming back from a magical castle in Italy where a group of us had been making music and soaking in the golden honey days....
Hiss Golden Messenger Share New Song “Sanctuary”: Stream
Hiss Golden Messenger are back with their first new song since 2019, “Sanctuary”. Written and produced by bandleader M.C. Taylor, “Sanctuary” isn’t exactly a political track, though it does engage with the national mood. “Feeling bad, feeling blue,” Taylor begins, “Can’t get out of my own mind/ but I know how to sing about it.” There’s a tension in the song between uplifting music and lyrical pessimism. At the chorus, backup singers join Taylor, and you might mistake the song for a sunny anthem if you didn’t listen to the words: “You want good news/ You want sanctuary/ But when you try to get real/ They break you on the wheel.” In a statement, Taylor explained how the song came together and paid homage to John Prine, writing, “Over the past year, I’ve been thinking a lot about how we ...
